Software: Solve Customer Business Challenges & Grow Your Offerings

By Mark Hart, ACDI: There’s no doubt in my mind that software solutions are a significant opportunity for our office technology providers. I’ve been in the office equipment channel since 1997, spending a large portion of my career at Lexmark in sales and business development. When Lexmark shifted their approach to focus on distinct verticals in the mid-2000s, I became entrenched in the office technology space, where I fell in love with the entrepreneurial spirit of the customers within it.

Now, as I lead the business development teams at ACDI, I’m tasked with managing all OEM channels and partnerships and supporting their growth into emerging markets. Over my time serving this industry, it’s been interesting to witness the growing role software plays in each vertical and to witness how solution providers have pivoted and adapted to the volatile landscape over the last two years.

Software has become an integral part of almost all technology solutions today. The pandemic elevated the digital transformation, creating demand: not only for IT hardware, but also for all the various types of software needed to support a secure and efficient work from home environment. Just as many have settled into the groove of a remote or hybrid work environment, they’ve been thrown yet another challenge. Solution providers are now encountering inventory shortages caused by supply chain challenges, requiring them to once again think outside the box.

The good news is selling software can solve pain points for your customers while serving as a very lucrative opportunity for your business. With physical inventory so hard to come by, it makes sense to shift some focus to cloud-based software. Whether you are selling software along with a larger solution or as a stand-alone product, you can turn that sale into cashflow for your business while providing predictable payments for your customers. Today we’ll look at some key considerations and benefits of selling Software-as-a-Service in our current environment.

But First, What Is Software-as-a-Service?